Broody Questions

[PatS]

Our broody BO has been on her nest for a full two weeks this afternoon. I don't think she ever gets off on her own volition so we have been taking her off twice a day to eat, drink, and pooh. When she's had enough time to stretch her legs she goes right back to the nest.

Is there some point where we should stop taking her off the nest? (What is lockdown?)

Should I start feeding her medicated chick crumbles before the hatch? I know she won't be laying for the next several weeks and she doesn't need layer pellets. It would probably be better for her to eat their food than vice-versa. Will medicated feed fed to her help protect the chicks if she has some kind of silent health problem?

Thanks!

 

[5chickenluver7]

My broody hatched recently, and no we did not give her the medicated chick feed until her chicks hatched. We have had no problems with this.
Also make sure you dont eat her eggs right away when she starts laying again. The medicated feed will make you sick if you eat her eggs while the feed is still in her system.

Good Luck!!!!

 

[PatS]

Thank you.

What about removing the broody from the nest for her eat/drink/pooh break. Do we leave her alone those last few days? Starting when?

 

[PatS]

Anyone? Please?

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

My broody just hatched her first bunch of eggs and this is how I did it.

I gave her the eggs on the 6th, made sure she had food and water close by, and around 21 days later, the eggs hatched. It is tough to remember that we are the ones with the questions, the chicken knows what to do.

 

[PunkinPeep]

When people hatch in an incubator, i believe lock-down starts on day 18.

Probably, especially since you've been doing it for two weeks, she'll get off the nest if she needs to. You can also put food in the nest with her.

But all in all, like Adna said, they pretty much know what to do.

My first three hen hatched clutches hatched on day 19, so if she's in a nest box that's off the ground, pretty soon you need to block her in somehow so the babies don't accidentally fall out.